LTC 138-2012 Quaterly Status Report M IAMI BEACH Za12 MAY1 Ply
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OFFICE OF THE CITY MANAGER j " � '� �1 ' �C
NO. LTC # 138 -2012 LETTER TO COMMISSION
TO: Mayor Matti Herrera Bower and Members of the City Commission
FROM: Jorge M. Gonzalez, City Manager
DATE: May 17, 2-0-1-2-
SUBJECT: QUARTERLY STATUS REPORT OF THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH BUILDING
DEVELOPMENT PROCESS RECOMMENDATIONS AND OBSERVATIONS FROM
WATSON RICE STUDY AS REQUESTED BY THE FINANCE AND CITYWIDE
PROJECTS COMMITTEE
On August 13, 2008, the City entered into a contractual agreement with TCBA Watson
Rice to conduct a Building Department Organizational and Operational Review. The
consultants presented their final report and recommendations to the Finance and
Citywide Projects Committee on May 5, 2009. The Finance and Citywide Projects
Committee accepted the consultant recommendations and asked the Administration to
provide a written quarterly update in the form of a Letter to Commission (LTC) and an
annual presentation to the Finance and Citywide Projects Committee.
Attached is the quarterly report, outlining the progress made to date on the remaining
initiatives recommended by the consultant, following along with the presentation made at
the April 19, 2012 Finance and Citywide Projects Committee. At that meeting, the
Committee asked that the implementation dates for all recommendations that have been
implemented to date be included in the status report. Staff is still researching
implementation dates, and will include those in the next quarterly report.
Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions.
Attachment
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CITY OF MIAMI BEACH BUILDING DEVELOPMENT PROCESS
RECOMMENDATIONS AND OBSERVATIONS
FROM WATSON RICE STUDY
STATUS REPORT AS OF MAY 2012
The previous Status Reports reported several recommendations with a status of "Implemented"
or "Implemented and Ongoing ". To simplify these quarterly reports, those items will no longer
be reported again unless there is a change in status in any of those items.
The following recommendations have status updates or are still underway:
2. Separate the duties of fee assessment and receipt of fee payments.
Status: In progress
The Building Department has allocated one position to the Finance Department to handle these
responsibilities. Finance has filled this position. The staff person has been trained on the
EDEN financial system, and has trained in the 'Building Department cashiering process. In
addition, the Building Department is in the process of procuring two payment kiosks that will
handle all transactions being paid by credit card or check. All cash payment transactions will be
handled by the Finance Cashier located on the first floor of City Hall. We expect that the full
transfer of responsibilities and implementation of the kiosks will be completed within the first half
of 2012.
16. Consider outsourcing the Permit Counter and Records Management Service areas.
A) Permit Counter:
Status: On hold - Review completed, subject to Union Collective Bargaining
Agreement, September 2012
The recommendation to evaluate outsourcing of the permit counter was adopted in the FY
09/10 budget. The department outlined the scope of services for the privatization request for
proposal as part of the FY 10/11 budget process. However, pursuant to negotiations
between the City and the Communications Workers of America (CWA), the union that
represents the Permit Clerk classifications, .no employees were to be laid off for the FY
10/11 budget year. _ The City has shelved the idea of outsourcing the permit counter at this
time. However, the department continues to evaluate the productivity and cost effectiveness
of the permit counter as it is currently configured.
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B) Records Management Service:
Status: Implemented
The Department has moved expeditiously to digitize most of the City's Building records thus
reducing departmental personnel to a minimum level, and thereby pre - empting the need to
privatize the service.
22. Complete the process of developing plans review and inspection checklists.
Status: In Progress
The implementation of the plan review checklist is being performed concurrently with the
implementation of the electronic plan review system, as this is one of the system requirements
to ensure uniform review and standards. The plan review checklists are incorporated into the
electronic plan review process and are being implemented concurrently with the system. .
The implementation of the inspection checklist will be completed with the implementation of the
new permitting system (Accela Automation), as the current system does not support the ability
to have checklists that are targeted to a specific inspection type.
24. Perform a comprehensive review and analysis of the Permits Plus system.
Status: In progress
Based on the review of the existing system, it was determined that the best course of action was
to completely replace the system.
The permitting system replacement will include permitting, inspections, code enforcement, the
business tax receipt process, the Special Event permit process, and the special master process.
Approximately one half of City departments utilize the current permitting system. The new
system will significantly increase operating efficiencies, provide extensive auditing and security
capabilities, contain internal and external automated notification mechanisms to streamline
operations and enrich the customers' overall experience with the Building Department.
The City received ten (10) proposals from various vendors throughout North America, however
the information technology advisory group recommended to the selection committee that all of
the proposals should be disqualified because they did not meet the City technical standard. All
proposals were rejected., A new RFP was issued and the City received eight (8) proposals.
The evaluation committee short- listed four (4) vendors for further evaluation. Demonstrations by
each of the four (4) vendors were provided. Working Teams comprised of key users throughout
the City evaluated each system and provided their recommendations to the evaluation
committee.
On February 9, 2011, the City Commission authorized the Administration to enter into
negotiations with Accela for their Accela Automation product. Negotiations were successfully
completed and contracts executed.
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Project Kick -Off took place in July 2011. Accela and its partner consultant, Kings Canyon
Technologies, have finished conducting their system configuration analysis for almost all work
processes to be included in the system. This phase entailed holding multiple sessions with all
the affected departments to learn each department's business processes. The consultants will
finish the remaining work processes and then take that information back and begin configuring
the system based the City's processes, which will then be reviewed by the appropriate staff.
It is expected that the new system will be operational by approximately December 2012.
The following initiatives have been implemented, or are implemented and ongoing, and will no
longer be reported on again unless there is a change in status:
4. Develop and implement a simplified permit fee structure and calculation
methodology.
1.0. Provide adequate physical space for Building Department operations.
17. Analyze the effectiveness of the Department's technology solutions to providing
customer support; and
18. Increase operating efficiency through the effective use of technology.
21. Develop a formal policies and procedures manual for all building /development
process disciplines.
24. Perform a comprehensive review and analysis of the Permits Plus system.
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